In the late 1970’s, there was a remote scrap yard in Oxfordshire near to Oakley Airfield.
The remains of a Blackburn Beverley(s) lay amongst old cars, lorries etc along with an inverted cockpit section.
I remember that it was spread across the yard. A lot of aluminium in those things!
The engines had long gone but the rest of it seemed to cover several acres.
I’ve found a link to a picture – but that is all. See: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1164228
The yard was almost untouched in some areas with old rotten Austin 7’s and the like, to the back in thick undergrowth.
Does anyone know whether there was more than one Beverley handled there or was one enough for them?
It had all been cleared when I visited many years later.
By: Bunsen Honeydew - 23rd March 2017 at 16:36
Rob,
I think you’re right.
I vaguely remember Benson being mentioned at the time.
There was a vast quantity of wreckage in the yard, and wondered whether they had more than one in there for processing.
The fact that it was such an old business made me wonder what else was lurking – particularly being so close to an old War time airfield.
The woods next to hanningfields held lots of half buried items and prrobably even more bucompletely buried, some were definitely wartime, some later. There was even an old Morrison Shelter. SHould have gone back with a shovel and a big van but never did
By: George - 22nd March 2017 at 14:16
Rob,
I think you’re right.
I vaguely remember Benson being mentioned at the time.
There was a vast quantity of wreckage in the yard, and wondered whether they had more than one in there for processing.
The fact that it was such an old business made me wonder what else was lurking – particularly being so close to an old War time airfield.
By: Wyvernfan - 21st March 2017 at 20:57
Could be one of the Beverleys flown into, stored and then scrapped at RAF Bicester?!
Some photos of which can be found here; https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=beverleys+at+bicester&prmd=msivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSibSWz-jSAhUhK8AKHXqmARsQ_AUICSgD&biw=1024&bih=672#imgdii=S9eaqzdl9h0RBM:&imgrc=sCnE_nLxDYMKpM:
Rob
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March 21, 2017 at 6:46 pm